The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-12
TERRIBLE DISASTERS.
Shocking LOSS of Life at a Col
ored Baptizing in New Or
leans.
Awful Loss of Life by thea Recent
Earthquake in MexieO-Italians
Drowned.
A Niece of Senator Blackburn Killed By
Her Cousin-A Farmer Stabbed by
sOalf.

Ualf.
NEW ORLEANS, May 9.-Several colored
congregations of Baptist Churches in this
city have long made it a practice to baptize
members in the Mississippi river at certain
selected points, both in the upper and the
lower districts of the city. The swift cur
rent Of the river has always made the Gus
tom more or less dangerous, but the
chances of a mishap have, until tyester-
day, thought to have been reduced to a
minimum by the care exercised in select
ing a place for the ceremonies. Yester-
day, however, an accident happened by
which seven lives are known to and
more may have been lost. The Mount
Zion Baptist Church has been baptiz-
Jig its converts at the foot of one of the
streets in the third district. Beside the
spot runs wharf which extends into deep
water. Yesterday morning the cOngrega-
ton gathered at the spot for the usual cere-
monies. A large crowd had assembled on
the wharf and in the midst of the exercises
the railing surrounding it gave way and
fully fifty people were precipitated into the
river. Around the wharf were number
OF sklffs and into them many of the people
were thrown, overturning several boats
and adding to the number struggling in the
water. The occupants of the skiffs which
floated set to work and rescued all those
who could be reached. Seven are known to
have been drowned and it is believed that
from five to eight more persisted. Rnsalna
Wilson, colored, when she went into the
water had a child in her arms. She
struggled until she came TO the surface and
held the child IN until one of the rescmng
skiffs reached her and the infant was
seized and taken on board when she sank
and was carried away by the current. One
of the unknown white women was drowned
under exactly similar circumstances. and
the rescued baby is now held by the police
for identification. An unknown colored
woman and another unknown white woman
were drowned under fat boat and all eff
forts to rescue them, which were heroic
and energetic, failed. Many people were
injured, but none seriously.
EARTHQUAKE DISASTER.
CITY OF MEXICO, May 9-The Govern
mcnt has received its first information re-
garding the disastrous earthquake on the
Sd instant at the town of Bahspe, i'll the
district of Montezuma, Sonora by which
80 persons lost their lives. The earth
quake occurred at $50 p. m, at the same
time the volcanic eruptions began in the
neighboring mountains, lighting up sum-
mits for a long distance, The prediction is
made here by local scientists that Mexico
is about to undergo a genctal seismic con-
vulSicn, and recent records of earthquake
shocks show that that there is widespread
volcanic activity from one end of Mexico to
the other.
ITALIANS DROWNED.
HAvRE, May 9.-The French steamer La
Bretagne, Captain De Jousseln, from New
York, April 80, arrived here at noon yes
terday. She reports that during the night
she collIded with and sunk a Norwegian
bark. The crew of the bark was saved.
The steamer La Champagne, which sailed
Saturday morning for New York, and
which afterward returned, having been in
4 collision, was run into by the steamer
Vile de RIO The latter steamer sank,
but her crew and passengers were saved. |
The collision caused a panic among the
Italians on board the Champagne, who
made rush for the life boat and caused it
to capsize, thirty-five of them being
drowned, in addition to three sailors who
tried to prevent the rush. The steamer
Vile de Bordeaux recovered fifteen of the
Italians clinging to the capsized life boat
The collision took place about noon, in fog.
the shock was so violent that the Cham
payne was thrown almost completely over
upon the starboard beam. A wide hole. |
two yards long, was opened in the larboard |
side near the poop, just above the water |
mark. The captain, finding it impossible |
to return to Havre, ran the steamer |
aground on a sandy beach in order to save |
the lives on board.
FATAL FOLLY.
LEXINGTON, KY, May "A terrible trag- |
edy took place this morning near Spring |
Station, ON the farm of Captain James |
Blackburn, eX-Secretary of State and |
brother of Senator J. c. s. Blackburn. Miss
Henrietta Blackburn, accompanied by her
cousin, Henrietta Hampstead, young lady
of nineteen years, went out to shoot at
mark with small rife. They were joined
by Samuel Blackburn, young man of
twenty three, brother of Miss Henrietta
Blackburn, and friendly contention was
begun as to who should shoot at the mark
fist. The three engaged in playful conten-
ton for the possession OF the rifle, and in
the struggle the weapon was discharged,
the ball piercing the heart of Miss Henri
ctta Hampstead and killing her instantly.
The unfortunate young lady gave slight
scream and dropped on the blue grass and
oreathed her last before her Mortified
cousins realized the awful calamity that
lad befallen them. Miss Hampstead was
4 great favorIte in the community.
STRANGE FATALITY.
AULLvnLE, No, May 9-Zachariah
Taylor, wealthy stoc kman and farmer,
living near this place, was standing in his
'arnyard this morning holding an open
lnife in his hand, when a calf standing
lear kicked at him. The hoof struck the
land and the knife penetrated the left
'reast causing almost instant death. Tay-
or had accumulated fortune in the last
CIV years by hard work and shrewd trad
ng. He leaves wife and one child.
Cajeme's Execution.
NoGALEs, ARIz., May "a good deal Of
oubt having been thrown on previous re-